This invention is related to therapeutic devices and is more particularly concerned with therapeutic devices specifically designed to relieve lower back tension or spasms caused by the contraction of the muscles in the lumbar region of the lower back.
The most common disabling back condition may be described as spastic contractions in the lumbar spine area. Spastic contractions in this area result from attempts by the body to protect the area from further injury or to allow the endangered area to heal from an injury to the spine or to the muscles associated with the spine. The lumbar muscles contract, thereby immobilizing the lower back and making the spine more rigid in that area. This condition is often disabling because of pain associated with any attempted flexion or extension of the muscles in the area of contraction. Generally, a severe contraction or spasm occurs as a result of use of the lumbar muscles which have not been prepared by exercise for the use to which they are subjected. Once the body attempts to protect the area by contraction (spasm), a vicious cycle commences. The contraction causes irritation which in turn, promotes more contraction.
This contraction or spasm condition often manifests itself by a tightness of the muscles in the lumbar spine area evidenced by one or more of the following symptoms: (1) pain in the lower back without movement and aggravated by movement; (2) distension of the stomach caused by spasm in the back area; (3) body tilt usually associated with spasm only one side of the spine; and/or (4) pain in the thigh area of one or both legs resulting from strain to the ligaments and tendons connecting the leg and back muscles.
In the prior art, lower back tension or alternatively severe contractions (spasms) in the lumbar region of the lower back are treated with the use of medications such as muscle relaxing drugs, pain medications, either topical or internal, bed rest and/or exercise. The use of muscle relaxing drugs allows the muscles to stop contraction thereby relieving the irritation of the muscles, but is a slow means of treatment which may have undesirable side effects associated with the use of drugs, i.e., counter-indications with other medications, drowsiness, allergic reactions and the like. The topical or internal use of pain relieving medications lessens the pain associated with the contraction or spasm, but does not deal with the cause. The salutory effects of bed rest reside in the immobilization of the area thus reducing the irritation caused by the use of the muscles. Lastly, conventional forms of exercise are of little or no value in ameliorating the effects of the contraction or spasm, since the patient can not tolerate the pain associated with the conventional exercise regimens in the spasm or severe contraction condition.